homegrowing

22:  light that caught you:  Peering through the large foyer window, through the chandelier, and reflecting on my hubby,  cozily reading on the couch.

23: a reflection that surprised you : My cherry angiomas on my face!  At our recent overnight getaway, I used the fancy make-up, magnifying mirror on their wall.  I normally don’t look super long or close in the mirror, and I discovered I’m looking like my Grandma!  Cherry Angiomas, where did you come from???  And the wrinkles….  hello 35.  (Smile.)   Not complaining, just noticing.  I’m purposing to embrace aging,  as beauty marks from the abounding grace in the chapters of Darci-world.

24: a shadow that fell lovely:  I’m grateful for winter.  I really am.  Grateful for skiing again after 20 years!  Shadow?  Now that requires sunshine, and we haven’t had that in a long time.  But winter, that is a gift all by itself.

25:  a gift in your hand: Growing two-year old fingers, holding on to mommy, as we walk to the changing table for a poop change.

26: a gift you walked by:  Snowy, dark night.  I walk to the barn, grateful for the provision of this home and property.  The warmth inside and the family I’m blessed with.

27: a gift you sat with:  Eleven year old snuggles while I read aloud.

28: . a gift that’s sour:  Fresh squeezed lemon.

29: a gift that’s sweet:  Honey Crisp or Pink Lady apples.  I’d settle for a Fuji or Gala too.

30: a gift that’s Just. Right. :  The generous helping, calming hands and heart of my hubby, ecspecially when he comes home from a long day at work.

31-33:  3 yellow things that strike you as fresh mercy:  Sunshine.  Black-eyed Susans & buttercups from the children.  Yellow painted walls.

34. something above you:  Heaven.

35: something below you: Our exercise room and gear.  Lord, help me grow in wellness, in Your strength.

36: something beside you: My green philandteds.com stroller.  Endured much, stylish, fun, and holds memories.

37-39: . 3 sounds you hear: humming of my determined-to-live laptop, Bristol Mountain chair lifts, and weather/snow falling.

40-42: 3 ways you glimpsed the startling grace of God: The loving compassion and generosity of my husband.  The trusting face of my baby.  The passionate, no-reserves, loving and innocent heart of my toddlers, for their very imperfect mother.

43: one thing you wore:  Sweat-wicking long underwear and new exercise shirt.  Blessing of appropriate clothing for various conditions.

44: one thing you gave away:  Resources and Panera Bread Ministry.  It’s so better to give than receive!

45: one thing you shared: My chai, and now I’m loving having my boys sip with me!

46-48. 3 ways you witnessed happiness today:

They ran out to catch the new falling snow flakes. The door fell off. Laughter exploded!

Cozy in Kimmy's knitted hat with an iPAD!

Kimmy's knitted hat, footie jammies, tutu, new Bogs boots from Grammie, and Ving's soccer ball!

49: one gift that you made laugh:  Breast pump accessories.

"Mommy, I need a band-aid!" Now that's being resourceful!

50: one gift that made you pray:  Gift of humble friends…. their suffering, trials, and families.  Praying tears.   God is Mighty to Save, the great Redeemer!

I LOVE CHRISTmas!  Oh, so much.  However, each year I sigh when the decorations are selling in the store at Labor Day!  I know it’s because I equate it with winter and snow, because I love to celebrate Christ in sunny September too.

This late October and early November, although too early for my Christmas decorations and carols, we were busily gathering goodies from around the house, from friends at church, and trips to the store.   We were excited to send Christmas gift boxes to sunny Mexico, to missionary blog-friends, the Lockwoods.

Prior years we’ve done Operation Christmas Child,  but this year we sent them to Mexico, with hopes we could see our boxes adorned with our ribbons and above photo attached to them, in the photos that Janine posts on her blog when they hand the boxes out to the children.

My hopes came true.  We were abundantly blessed to construct these boxes, and even more blessed when we able to see these photos of them being received!

Thank You Lockwoods!

If you would like to send boxes to the Lockwoods or start collecting goodies now,  contact Janine anytime of the year and  click here to see last year’s directions. (We purchased the plastic containers at Target for $1.00.  They worked best. We were really able to stuff them with adding the ribbon to secure the lid.  We attached the above photo of the kids with their boxes to the tops, and the children wrote phrases in Spanish too.)

Please share what fun ideas you did this Christmas season, to involve your children in giving and thinking of others… do tell.  (Smile.)

As I brainstormed this week’s P52 topic, my heart immediately sang, “I’m living my dream!”

Secure in Jesus, being a mom,  loving my husband, being loved,  having ‘lots’ of babies,  Christ as the center core of our home,  and abundant provisions.   My dream is full as I stare at the banner of this blog.  Thank-you, Jesus.

I remember dreaming, especially my later years of high school.   I was writing goal and dream lists.  Tonight I bundled up, trenched through the blizzard to the barn, and treasure hunted for my memory-hope-trunk.   Treasures indeed, amidst the chewed graduation gown and remnants of a cozy mice habitat.

I dug for the goal-dream lists.   After much prayer, success!  It was fun reading the hopes of my 17 year old heart.    While I remembered them to be much more sophisticated and Christ-focused,  here are the ramblings …. with no apologies.

From my Senior Yearbook: Plans after school:   Attend RIT’s Physician Assistant Program, play basketball, get married, have lots of babies and live happily ever after.  Realistic?  I hope so.

From Letter sealed and address to myself: July 19th, 1994 – 17 years old.  Open July 19th, 1999 when 22 years old.     I’m in the middle of summer – soon I begin RIT as a freshman.  I’m definitely overweight and feeling lonely – I miss Irv.  I’m in love and always will be.  I recently graduated from MCS, second in my graduating class.  It was exciting and I made $4,450.00 in scholarships and gifts.  I did well.  I want to get green/teal GEO tracker.  We’re working hard on a business selling cookware.   I don’t have many close friends from school.    Wearing my retainers, babysitting, I love:  garage sales, the Salvation Army,   sunflowers, sun-shines, and butterflies.  I like to refinish trunks and I’m drug/substance free.  I love to hug Irv and watch movies.  I care for him strongly.  I cooked one dinner my myself.   I’m good at booking Lifetime Cookware parties.  I worry about money.   I love life, love to smile, and love autumn.  I hope to have a good roommate at RIT and that I succeed in the next 5 years!   My goals for 5 years:

• workout 3x a week and eat healthy
• deliver a baby is my goal / dream
• be Irv’s wife
• graduate may 1998 from RIT as a PA.  Have a good career, make at least $40,000 a year, working 40 hours a week at most, with 2 months vacation by age 35.
• pass the PA test and get first job
• start planning a family
• have a nice car – GEO tracker?
• Irv’s business doing great
• have good / honest friends
• owning / looking / building a house?
• positive mental attitude
• happy
• Be a coupon saver
• ride in a hot air balloon
• weigh 133 pounds
• have long nails – stop biting my nails!
• have a big wedding
• go to Europe, specifically France and Switzerland.
• Stay home with my children until they’re 5
• have Sundays be family day
• go to church every Sunday
• Play some college basketball
• see a Live Broadway show
• see statue of liberty and go to NYC
• walk on the west coast
• live in another state
• never smoke or drink
• have a hot tub and RV
• go camping once a year
• wear sun screen
• do and learn crafts
• have a hard shower
• coach or referee a basketball game
• get hug from Irv often
• never leave Irv without knowledgeable good-bye
• have gazebo in my yard with tulips

Deep Thoughts! Ha!  Some make me laugh.  Many have been accomplished.  Many are no longer on my goal-dream list.   Now I have a prayer-dream list.  Perhaps that’s what happens after 17.5 more years pass.  We grow wiser, more appreciative, endure suffering, experience His grace and mercy, grow more, and gain eternal perspective.   I trust His sovereignty, and Heaven is sweeter.

^“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17

I’ve been counting gifts, and practicing gratitude through 2011 after reading One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.

2012 I’m continuing the count, joining the Joy Dare, and purposing, Lord willing, to count 1,000 more gifts in 2012.

1-3:   3 things about yourself you are grateful for:  Physically: my easy hair, nose, and smooth birthing hips.  My heart: my love and hope for others to know they are loved and the hope Christ has for their pain and life.

4:  A gift outside: 48 evergreen trees planted in spring.

5:  A gift inside: the lay out of our home, school room, and the open living space for our family.

6: A gift on a plate:  The day Tucker died, I was supposed to attend a girls’ night out with girlfriends at a local Color Me Mine.  Some ladies still gathered, and made me this beautiful plate in Tucker’s memory.  Girlfriends, holding hands for me in prayer.  A choo-choo, the theme of my baby shower they had for me 3 years prior, and so many signatures.

7-9:  3 lines you overheard that were graces: “You can sit in the front seat, I’ll give you my turn.”  “I gave my prize tickets away to the kids that scored -5 points in Bible quiz today.”  “I’m so glad I was honest last night with the whole story, I feel so good this morning.”

10:  One gift old:  Saint Nicolas.  We’ve been ministering to our widowed 91 year old neighbor Elsie (A.k.a The Bowling Ball Lady on the Corner, as she has 300+ bowling balls decorating her yard.)  With tears,  she delivered a Christmas gift to our non-santa-celebrating (or decorating) home this Christmas; her 60+ year old life-sized Santa, which moves.  He needed much TLC, and we restored him.  He stands on our living room, representing the call to love our neighbors, minister, and share the love of Christ as Saint Nicholas did long ago.

11:  One gift new: Pandora.

12: One gift blue:  Baby boys, x6. Thank you Jesus.

13: Something you’re reading: DSLR for dummies.  Praying it helps!

14: Something you’re making: soup

15: Something you’re seeing:  maturity arising, boys journeying closer to manhood.

16: One thing in your bag:  Vera.  Vera patterns are lovely.

17: One thing in your fridge:  bottle of Starbucks sugar-free hazelnut sweetener.  I can make a 20 ounce homemade chai with sweetener and vanilla soy milk with only 50 calories!  I’ve been filling my very favorite thermos every morning, and delivering a special mug to some Biggie’s school desks.  If I can’t get them to have a tea party with me after multiple attempts, I’m going with chai, heavy milk!

18: One thing in your heart:  children.

19-21: graces from people you love:  Emails, texts, and messages from friends & my mom.   Sweetness from my husband.   Coach Tom, volunteering hours with my boys for Bible Quiz Team.

February 8th, 2006, my sweet Tucker moved to Heaven.   The following day, I was supposed to attend a girls’ night out with girlfriends at a local Color Me Mine pottery store.  Some ladies still gathered, and made me this beautiful plate in Tucker’s memory.  Girlfriends, holding hands for me in prayer.  A choo-choo, the theme of my baby shower they had for me 3 years prior, and so many signatures.

A treasure, priceless.   Made with much love, and tears.